We stand at a critical point in history. With global environmental crises on the horizon, we need to mobilize millions of people to take action.

I published a field guide for curators around the world looking to make a large-scale impact on behavioral change. It is based on lessons learned from my curatorial practice over the last decade and the latest research in climate change communication.

Technology is fundamentally changing every industry, and art is no exception. In 2019, a new wave of multidisciplinary creatives are blurring the lines between technology, art, and entrepreneurship.

I’ve begun highlighting some of the major trends in technology and how they’re evolving art – and vice versa. I’ve curated the galleries below to showcase how technology and art are fusing to produce truly novel projects.

As our society evolves, it’s more important than ever to tap the tools and perspectives of artists to more effectively shape our world.

If you’re interested in hiring me to give a keynote presentation to your organization about how to apply artist-innovator techniques to your current challenges, you can email me at mkb@marniebenney.com. My talk includes over a decade of research, tactics and examples that will get your team thinking differently about how to approach their work.

Want to mingle with artists and scientists over drinks? Join us for a casual evening of cross-disciplinary talk at SciArt's favorite laid back bar, Peculier Pub. Discuss your latest projects and make new connections with artists, scientists, technologists, and cross-disciplinary practitioners.

Artists and scientists seek answers to the same fundamental questions: who are we, why are we here, and where are we going? But despite these common explorations, artists and scientists are too often separate in their endeavors.

That’s why we love hosting events like these to help bridge the gap between art and science, which always spark great conversations.

I hope to see you there! Feel free to share this with anyone you think might be interested.

As Chief Curator of SciArt Center, I've worked to bridge the gap between art and science through novel exhibitions, international conferences, a member-supported publication, virtual shows and partnerships with organizations like Cambridge University, Cooper Union, School of Visual Arts, the New York Hall of Science and the Helix Center.

We've made incredible progress in the last few years, and I'm even more excited about what's to come.

You can read the Forbes article about how we're leading the SciArt movement here.

Vibha Galhotra is humbling in her breadth and scope of work, which spans sculpture, social practice, installations and beyond. In this interview we discuss how distinct creative processes (land art vs gallery shows vs community works) feel different, as well as activism, dream projects and ghungroos.

Guillermo del Toro, director of Pan’s Labyrinth, artfully separates his film in two - the real world and mythical (under) world. With intentional cinematographic choices, the real world is painted a cool color palette of grey and blue with hard, angular lines articulating its formidable buildings. The mythical world is warm glowing pink, peach and gold with rounded edges and spirals contouring its womb-like architecture. The real world inspires a squirmy anxiety while the mythical world feels well, like a wondrous womb.

This is the power of an artist. Through artistic choices, we are able to lose ourselves in viscerally impactful moments. Intentional creative choices may inspire a bodily intelligence, enabling one’s perspective to expand, and at the best of times, recontextualize our role as humans in the broader narrative of our neighbors, nations, global community, world and universe. To quote Carl Sagan we live “on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam”.

A curator, then, is a narrator who creates context. One who understands that a particular artistic expression is but a chapter among many, having meaning only in its relation to everything that came before.

A dear friend once explained art is a place “where all variables are on the table, the definition is endless and truth has an opportunity to be debated.” The foundation to support and provide room for this intuitive, creative play must be strong. A curator must reign in the limitless possibilities in time, space, message and medium, to create an experience that is unique, emotional and inspiring.